Paddle
by outerelf
Summary: This is the story of the cannon Dinobot that no one knew and everyone hated...


The stylus smoothly flowed across the datapad, as the hand that guided it concentrated intently. The lines slowly began to form into a picture. A seeker sped through the air, yelling at the mech on top of it. The mech on top was firing wildly at the other seekers.

The crackle of a comm. link filled the air, making the hand stop. Slowly it reached up. "Yes?"

There was a moment of static, and then a voice said something unintelligible. With an irritable mutter, the mech set down the stylus and left the datapad on the desk. He stepped out of the room, one hand still on his comm. link, distracted by the unintelligible flow of words.

He had _known _that it would be a bad idea. Coming back to the Ark after all of the time he had spent trapped underground. He had lost count of the years, but many had passed.

At least in his universe. Paddles had the odd feeling that he was out of place in the Ark. For one thing, Bumblebee didn't recognize him, and for another thing there were more Dinobots.

Awkwardly Paddles attempted to squeeze himself in the corner as he watched Autobots come and go. He didn't want to disturb them-

Swiftly turning wheels gave Paddles no time to dodge out of the way as a red Lamborghini slammed into him after turning the corner at high speed. Surprised and hurt, Paddles attempted to move away from the Lamborghini, only to smash into the opposite wall.

_This bad. Very bad. _Mechs were beginning to stare. Paddles cautiously asked, "You, whoever, alright?"

The red Lamborghini simply revved its engine once before dashing off. A red and white Lamborghini came screeching after it, horns blaring. Paddles winced, and looked down the corridor from which the second Lamborghini had come from.

There were several doors, but only one was just closing. Curious, Paddles decided that if he was going to be stuck on land, he'd at least see what was in the room.

A few steps had taken him down the hallway in front of the door, and Paddles thrust out his hand to stop the door. It stopped, and reopened.

Paddles stepped in, his optics scanning the room curiously. It was covered from the top to bottom with hand drawn pictures. On one wall was covered with pranks, and on the opposite wall were a myriad of pictures of idiotic things the Autobots did during battle.

He could recognize Sideswipe and Sunstreaker trying to take on Devestator, and in one picture was Bumblebee doing ballet with an enemy. He could even see the high-grade cubes Bumblebee had just drunken.

Ironhide was staring down Bluestreak in one picture, while Jazz had one arm thrown around Prowl in another, a Decepticon pointing a cannon at their unsuspecting backs.

His optics stopped looking around the room as they spotted the datapad lying on the table. With a curious look, the giant Dinobot stepped closer.

"This him Sideswipe on top of him Thundercracker?" Paddles wondered aloud, before squinting at the picture for a better look. It was only then he realized that the picture was half complete.

Satisfied with the thought, Paddles spent the rest of the orn looking at the different pictures.

0oo0o0o0o0o0o0

Wheeljack leaned against the table, "I know he doesn't belong in our universe Prime, but we can't just shoot him off into another universe either! The dimensional warp that should take him back is closed! It'll take us orns to reopen it!"

"But neither can he stay onboard the Ark. He isn't exactly a dinobot, nor is he exactly an Autobot." Prime stated carefully. He did not wish to make Wheeljack mad. "Don't forget about the dimension where I was evil and Megatron was good."

Wheeljack slumped, before perking up again. "What if we introduce him to a human? If he attempts to attack the human then we know he's bad."

Optimus Prime frowned. "I cannot allow such a thing. If he attempts to hurt a human, he might actually succeed."

Ratchet walked into the room, an odd look on his faceplate. "Prime, you know the new dinobot?"

"Not new-"

"He just met our resident human, and is currently having a lot of fun with them. Too much fun in fact. The human came to me to plead that Paddles be kept away and to stop bothering him."

Primes vocalizer attempted to make a sound. Any sound at all. He gave up after a few moments before faintly nodding. Wheeljack pounced on the comment. "See Prime! He's perfectly fine! I think he'll work really well with the other Dinobots, and it might be good for them."

Ratchet nodded slowly. "Yes it might Prime."

"We'll have to tell everyone else. And you know how wary they've been of alternate dimensions lately."

A slight silence fell on them, before Ratchet broke it. "He's a gentle Dinobot Prime. And seems to like humans. I don't think he'll be that much of a burden. But we can have him under observation for the next few days."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Paddles considered the wall, with the patience and longsuffering spent of spending years alone and trapped by himself. Beyond him he could hear other Autobots shuffling off to their own tasks, each keeping a wary distance from him. Paddles grimaced inwardly. He was awkward on land, and longed to return to the sea.

The only thing keeping him from going to the sea with or without permission was the fact that both Prime and Grimlock were stronger then him, and had ordered him to stay put. The only reason that staying onboard the Ark was bearable was because of the room with pictures.

For the past human week he had watched a lone red and white Lamborghini slide into and out of the room. Always after he left another one of the marvelous pictures would be hung up. Paddles had found where the old pictures were stored away, and was currently working on riffling through those.

There was a slight noise as Paddles caught out of the corner of his optics the Lamborghini beginning to leave the room. For some reason he couldn't name to himself he hadn't told anyone about the room. Not even the mech who vanished in and out of the room so often.

The door was just about to slide close as he stuck his foot in. The door slid open again as the alert for attack went off. Paddle turned, letting the door slide close.

He followed the mechs scrambling for the door, ignoring all the odd looks sent his way. He was going to fight; he would protect the tiny humans aboard the Ark. Grimlock spotted him. "You Paddle stay."

"No. Me Paddle fight."

"No, you Paddle stay!"

"No, me Paddle fight. Fight for tiny hoo-man."

Grimlock rocked back onto his heels, glaring at Paddles, Paddles grinned. "Me Paddles fight. See how strong me Paddle is. Me Paddle strong."

The other four Dinobots stared at their leader, and Snarl offered, "Me Snarl say Paddle stay."

Grimlock snorted. "You Snarl silly. Him Paddle fight. Him Dinobot."

0o0o0o0o0o0o

Red Alert regarded the six Dinobots with growing dread. It was bad enough that there was five Dinobots, enough to take out nearly the entire Autobot army, but now there was the mysterious sixth. And the elusive quality of the answers he had gotten from Prime about where the Dinobot had come from did not settle easily with him.

Nor was the fact that it seemed like Paddles was watching him. Inferno had laughed it off, putting it down to his nervousness, but Red Alert was quiet sure there was something else.

The sound of crashing waves drifted to his auditory receptors. As did the sound of Decepticons talking to each other. "Prime, we got 'Cons just a few miles ahead of us."

"Very well. Can you tell how many?"

Red Alert listened carefully, "No sir. The ocean waves are interfering with the voices somehow. It makes them hard to make out. I'd have to say we're facing anywhere from ten to twenty Decepticons however."

Prime would've nodded if he hadn't been in vehicle mode. As it was, he settled with a confirmative answer as they drove on.

It was Sideswipe who broke the silence first. "Ten or twenty Red Alert? Slag, that looks more like thirty or forty."

"Less then that." Red Alert said, bristling. "Only twenty. It just looks like more because they're so spread out and the landscape."

The Dinobots refused to wait any longer. As one they surged ahead, Paddle the only one not transforming, keeping instead to his mech form.

Red Alert mumbled something softly to himself as he dashed forward to cover Infernos back. Inferno ripped through the ranks of the Decepticons, firing and blasting away. Red Alert, a little more cautious, made sure that Inferno wasn't attacked from behind as he also attempted to keep track of every single Autobot fighting.

He stiffened as he heard the sound of a gun from off to his right. Both he and Inferno turned at the same time. There was nothing but water. Skywarp warped into the empty space beside them. Red Alert knew because he could feel the displaced air swirl around him.

That was all he had time to think before a hand shoved him off the cliff. Red Alert was distantly aware he was falling, before time seemed to slow down. He could see Infernos optics going wide, and agonizingly slowly a hand reached out. Red Alert attempted to take it, before time sped back up.

Agonizingly fast. One moment he was looking at Inferno, and the next he had the unpleasant sensation of falling. A strangle squeak erupted from his vocalizer, before the water splashed around him.

For a long moment he lay suspended in the water, stunned by the incredibly lucky save. The steep cliffs, even if he was a giant robot, would've been near fatal if he had fallen without something to break his fall.

Silently he began pushing up for the surface of the water, once again reminded why giant robots very rarely swam. Mostly because they couldn't.

Growling, he managed to claw his way up the cliff side to break the surface. Above he saw Optimus Prime peering over the edge, Ratchet by his side. Inferno could be heard attempting to take apart the Decepticons. "Prime? I don't think I can get up those cliffs," Red Alert called, eyeing the steep cliffs worriedly.

Prime put a hand to his comm. link. Red Alert attempted to clear his CPU of all thoughts to listen to Prime. "Red Alert, all of our flyers were damaged badly enough that they can't fly down to pick you up."

Red Alert gaped up at his leader. "Are you saying I'm stuck here? There's no beach or cliff side that I can climb up for miles around."

Optimus Prime was silent. "We can have someone follow you from above to watch you. But there isn't anyone that can help you right now Red Alert."

Red Alerts optics turned off as his head rested against the cool stone. He was grateful that he was feeling too exhausted to start throwing a glitch to end all glitches. The more exhausted he was, the less he started glitching. It was only when he was fully awake-

A voice broke over the comm. link, "Me Paddles can go with him Red Alert."

Prime turned to look at the Dinobot. Red Alert sent up a prayer to Primus that if he was listening, not to let Prime give in – "Alright Paddles."

Red Alert twitched. Paddles peered down the cliff, and to everyone's surprise judging from the shouts that went over the comm. link, jumped in. Red Alert clutched desperately at his rock as the water slammed into him, and then a long, thin neck emerged from the water as the Elasmosaurus appeared.

Above Red Alert could hear Ratchet breathe, "Of course, that's how come we never noticed him before. That's why he never transformed on base."

Those two statements did nothing to reassure Red Alert, who already was beginning to panic, despite being so tired. Why was he so tired? He'd gotten recharge the night before-

Paddles head came down close to him. "You Red Alert come onto me Paddle back. Me take you Red Alert to closest beach."

Red Alert hesitated, before giving up. It was unlikely he'd get to the base by himself at this point in time. All he could do was to accept the offer. Silently he reached out, grabbing a hold of the broad back. Paddles' long neck twisted to watch as he scrambled for a good handhold, before his head dipped, and he dove.

Red Alert felt the water enclose him, and sighed inwardly. Ratchet was going to insist on a through drying out. He was grateful that he didn't need air to breathe. "You Red Alert ok?" Paddles asked genially.

Red Alert contemplated not answering, but discarded the idea a few moments later. "Yes, I'm fine."

"Good."

Red Alert glared suspiciously at the back of Paddles' head, but the Dinobot sounded like he actually meant it. Paddles went on, "Me Paddle want to know. You Red Alert make pretty pictures in room?"

For a single moment Red Alert was confused. Then, horrification dawned on his face as he realized what Paddle was talking about. "Since when- How- you couldn't of-"

"Me Paddles see you Red Alert go into room. When you Red Alert leave, another pretty picture is in room. Me Paddle want to know how you Red Alert do it."

Red Alert leaned forward, grip tightening. "Did you tell anyone? Have you told anyone about me drawing?"

"No. Me Paddles say nothing."

Red Alert sighed in relief. Paddles head twisted. "Why you Red Alert not want anyone to know?"

It was a perfectly innocent question, but Red Alert flinched in shame as memories arose. "My- my creators didn't really approve of it. They wanted me to be a proper security director. Paddle, don't tell anyone, ok?"

"Me Paddle no tell." Silence fell as Paddle continued on. Then Red Alert realized something.

"Paddle, we're going away from mainland."

Paddle snorted. "Me Paddle know. Take you Red Alert somewhere special."

Red Alert was about to protest. "Me Paddle take you, and Me Paddle say nothing about you Red Alert drawing."

Paddle was unsure what he was doing, but he had seen Grimlock do the same thing to other mechs. In agreeing to do something, Grimlock demanded something else in return. Paddle wanted Red Alert to come and see. The pretty pictures Red Alert had in 'his' room had left an impression on the Dinobot.

He wanted a picture of _that_ with him, incase he ever was trapped ever again.

Paddle sped up as he recognized that he was coming closer, and then dove. The sea floor was muddy, but Paddle kept on moving, going faster and faster, determined to reach his destination. He had spent only a few days there before heading to the Ark on his low power reserves.

It had been a miracle he had made it, but now that he was full energized, he intended to pay one last visit to the place.

Red Alert was silent as they approached the small island. It was small enough that it wasn't even considered an island, simply a large black rock sticking out into the sea. Paddle swam around the rock, where a crevice in the rocks, just big enough to emit the

Dinobot, opened into the supposedly solid rock.

Paddle transformed, and squeezed his way through, Red Alert following cautiously before his breath was taken away.

The entire rock was hollow, with a large air just a few inches above Red Alerts head. Above, shimmering through the water was giant salt crystals, strung across the ceiling. Paddle stared up at them proudly, as if he had been the one to create them.

Red Alert cautiously broke the surface of the water, dripping water everywhere. "You Red Alert like?" Paddle questioned, staring at Red Alert.

Red Alert nodded mutely. It was picture perfect. The giant salt crystals that stretched above and around him gave the shimmering cavern the feeling of a mermaid's grotto. Paddle transformed, his long neck easily stretching up to the first giant salt crystal.

Red Alerts faceplate twitched into a smile. It was an amusing picture. Even the giant dinosaur was dwarfed by the crystals. His smile faded as he considered why Paddles had brought him here. "Paddle?"

"You Red Alert draw this cave?" Paddle inquired hopefully. "Me Paddle no draw, and me Paddle want in case."

Red Alert hesitated. "Paddle, I can't draw very well. Sunstreaker would be a better idea."

Paddles' head dipped down close, those giant optics looking at him pleadingly. "But him Sunstreaker don't like me Paddle. Him Sunstreaker don't like anyone."

Red Alert sighed in agreement, optics drawn to look around the cavern once again. There was no feasible energy sources here, other then if they managed to convert salt to energon somehow. He could be quiet about it without breaking rules.

"Alright Paddle. I'll try."

Paddle nodded contentedly with the answer.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Ratchet fumed impatiently as he waited on the empty beach. It was the beach Paddle was supposed to land in, but so far Paddle was far overdue. Red Alert wasn't answering his comm. link, and Paddle had never been installed with one, leaving Ratchet waiting.

And he hated waiting. First Aid was good, but some of the mechs he would prefer to work on himself until First Aid was just a little bit better-

Ratchet sighed in relief as a head broke the surface of the water. Paddle swam strongly towards Ratchet, his blue optics fixed on the shore. Ratchet frowned as he didn't spot Red Alert. "Paddle?"

A tired hand waved from the other side of Paddle, and Red Alerts optics peeked from over the side as Paddle came closer to shore. When they got close enough to shore, Paddle transformed, picking up Red Alert. Red Alerts yelp drifted clearly across the air. "Put me down!"

"You Red Alert not touch bottom. Me Paddle do."

"That isn't the point Paddle! Put me down!"

Ratchet watched, bemused, as Paddle ignored Red Alert. "Here Paddle, load him up inside of me. I'll check him over as we go along."

Paddle bent, placing Red Alert inside of Ratchet with only a single large bump. Red Alert was about to sit up, but Ratchet used inside machinery to push him back down. "Calm down Red Alert."

"I thought Prime said that no one was following."

Ratchet explained, "Even though you landed on water, there still has to be a few internal components smashed. I'll check it out as we go along."

Red Alert lay back a little nervously as Ratchet started up, scanning the Autobot carefully. Paddle walked along beside them, silent as the two traded comments on their comm. links. It took a moment before both realized that he couldn't hear them.

"Paddle, can you remember the world you came from?"

Paddle thought back. "No Autobots. No Decepticons. No robots. Me Paddle only one." He paused or a moment, CPU struggling to find the proper words. "But Hoo-mans nice."

Ratchet murmured to himself, CPU forgetting about Red Alert as he continued along this line of questioning.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Red Alert eased into the seat, Paddles' head peering curiously over his shoulder. Ratchet had released him without insisting on the usual night over for through drying, and Red Alert as not about to call Ratchets CPU back to that little detail.

Paddle had insisted on watching Red Alert draw however. So it was with great trepidation Red Alert agreed, and Paddle easily peered over the smaller mechs shoulder, staring at the hand.

Red Alert attempted to block his CPU of Paddle, and instead concentrated on the stylus. First was the outline, with its strong, clean lines that slashed the clean whiteness of the page.

Next were the major details, swirls that filled the lines with rocks and crystals.

Paddle watched, entranced by the ever-growing view of the cavern that he had spent much of his time thinking about. The salt crystals had grown in the years he had been trapped, but it was still essentially the same.

Red Alerts hand stopped as a call came through his comm. link. "Sorry Paddle, I have to go."

Paddle looked around the room. "You Red Alert mind if me Paddle stay?"

Red Alert shook his head. "Go ahead Paddle. Go ahead."

Paddle watched as Red Alert leave the room. Maybe perhaps being stuck in another dimension wasn't going to be too bad.

* * *

_A/N: This... is a result of the bunny 'Paddle needs more love' and a request to have Red Alert being able to draw. Hope you all enjoyed and the button below is calling your name._


End file.
